Feng Shui basic principles are everything is alive, connected and changing.  
 
We know from science that vibrating molecules is what gives form and shape to objects. The chair you are sitting in is merely lots of molecules vibrating closely together which gives the appearance of solid matter.  
 
Ancient cultures knew that everything, all animate and inanimate objects are ALIVE with memories, feelings and associations. All objects are speaking to us all of the time, some give messages that lift our spirits and others reduce our excitement and enthusiasm (negative vibes), and sometimes these are barely perceptible.  
 
The test I use to measure ALIVENESS with is: "Does this lift my energy when I look at it or think about it or does it bring me down?"  
 
One of my favorite questions during a consultation is: "Tell me about this?" Many of my clients respond: "Well I got that from my ex." And then go on to explain why it is totally unconnected to their ex and has no memories, feelings and associations of that previous less than excellent relationship.

The connections of our belongings is a big deal!

Why do we hold onto items that have painful memories of the past? We are holding onto objects, people and relationships that no longer serve us. Do we want to continue to recreate that less than excellent scenario or are we willing to let go, allowing room for a different experience, a different outcome?

Let go of the old, to make space for the new!

Sometimes we keep objects out of what I refer to as 'poverty consciousness'. It may have been an expensive gift such as a painting from an associate. I see this occur again and again. At the time the gift was given, the receiver was over awed at receiving such an expensive gift, a few months or years later the receiver comes to realize that the ethics of the giver are not in line with their own and they prefer not to continue the relationship. The painting however is retained, usually in a prominent position in their office as it looks prestigious. It is kept because the receiver believes that they wouldn't go out and purchase a painting they really liked of a similar value and of course these types of items rarely fetch their original value upon resale.  
 
"I'll never be able to afford to replace it." We all justify our actions with seemingly common sense notions such as "It's perfectly functional" or "I've other priorities for the available funds" and of course "It's frivolous". We hoard due to feelings of not being good enough, of being unworthy, not lovable, of being less than others who in some way we somehow we see as superior to ourselves. It's alright for them, whoever them may be, but, (don't you just love that word) I have all of this to consider.  
 
Our self-esteem is such that we see ourselves as inferior, sometimes it can be rock-bottom and almost non-existent. Get rid of the objects reinforcing this message!!!  
 
Feng Shui is very much about the messages we feed our sub-conscious minds.  
 
One clients complaint was that she was feeling very stuck in her life. In her laundry were rows and rows filled with empty golden syrup cans and jam jars. Golden Syrup and Jam are very sticky. Her life was empty and stuck. So why was she keeping them?  
 
Because they might come in handy one day!  
 
And no she wasn't intending to be preserving or making jams anytime soon.  
 
What less than desirable messages are you receiving from the objects in your environment?